Can you teach me how to kiss?
by Bobapearl
Summary: Kyoko has got a brand new job, acting in a commercial for a famous fragrance called SWEET AFFECTION. But when the last scene requires her to be a little bit more sensual than she usually is, she goes to the only person she knows who can help...
1. Chapter 1: What does he want you to do?

Okay, another fanfic that I REALLY wanted to write, but this time, I am going to make this story multiple chapters long instead of only a chapter. I have already a few ideas lined up so I hope you like it! On to Chapter 1! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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"Good morning, Tsuruga-san!"

"How are you, sir?"

"Good luck with the shoot today!"

"Looking good, Ren!"

"Okay, you are _really_ too famous for your own good," Yashiro said with a shake of his head as he walked down the hall. Pushing his glasses up the brim of his nose, he looked up at his best friend who had a friendly smile on his face as he passed his fellow workers in LME.

"You make it sound as if people greeting me is a bad thing. I thought you always said the more publicity, the better."

"It is—to a certain extent of course. But don't you ever get annoyed with all of the…pestering?" Yashiro asked with his hands flailing around to represent the annoyance.

Ren laughed and lightly nudged Yashiro on the shoulder. "If I hated all of this attention, I should have never been an actor in the first place, should I? Besides, isn't this a sign of my success, Yashiro?"

He frowned in defeat. No matter how much Yashiro hated to admit it, Ren was right. It was just a curse of his alluring personality and great talent as an actor that attracted other people. Ren was just too perfect to pass up.

As the two men walked down the hall, greeting a dozen more people along the way, they finally spotted the one person that Yashiro was hoping to see all morning: Mogami Kyoko.

If people didn't know any better, they would have thought that Yashiro was in love with Kyoko by the looks of his facial expression every time he saw her. But they couldn't have been farther from the truth. In fact, the person in love with Kyoko was not Yashiro at all; it was the tall, handsome gentleman next to Yashiro who fell for everything about her.

Yes, Tsuruga Ren was in love and not with a famous actress who was on the same standard as he. In reality, she wasn't even anywhere close to being as successful or well-known as Ren. No, Mogami Kyoko was just an aspiring actress in high school who had a hold on Ren's heart that nobody could ever understand.

With a smile that would have knocked other women senseless, Ren walked up to his pupil who had her back turned and her head buried in a thick-looking packet. Peeking around her shoulder, Ren realized that it was a script.

It was titled SWEET AFFECTION. "_Odd,"_ Ren thought. "_Is this a new drama?"_

To Ren's and Yashiro's surprise, Kyoko was mumbling to herself. Nothing too out of the ordinary for her, since it was Kyoko of course, but it was what she was saying that made them curious.

"There is no way…ARE THEY CRAZY!? I can't do this! I've never—UGH, I can't even say it! DESPICABLE!"

The two men looked at each other with their eyebrows raised. "_What is she talking about?" _they thought simultaneously.

With a light tap on her shoulder, Kyoko turned around as if electrified and nearly tripped over her own feet when she saw who it was.

"TSURUGA-SAN! Yashiro-san!" she cried loudly. "I'm so sorry! I didn't see you guys there!" Then she stepped to the side in order to open up more space in the hall to let the two men through.

Ren shook his head and replied, "You're not in the way, Mogami-san. I'm just wondering what you're doing. Is something wrong?"

Horrified, Kyoko quickly thrust her hands behind her back, hiding the script from view. "It's nothing!" she said earnestly. "Just something Sawara-san gave me. Nothing important!" She laughed nervously and smiled with a wide grin. Yashiro snickered.

Ren's aura turned a tad shade darker as he loomed over his pupil and asked, "Really? Because I have a bad feeling that you're lying to me."

And just as he expected, Kyoko cowered in fear and whimpered. "No…not lying…not really…"

Ren smiled.

"Umm…it's not…"

Still smiling.

"I don't want to bother you—!"

STILL smiling.

"Tsuruga-san!" she cried exasperatedly, a clear sign that she wasn't giving up easily.

Ren chuckled and with one fluid motion, he reached for the script behind Kyoko's back and took it out of her grasp.

Despite her desperate tries to take it out of his hands ("NO! GIVE IT BACK!"), Ren was able to get the gist of the script before he placed it back in its rightful place. She let out a breath and glared at her ridiculously tall mentor.

He smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. "I was curious."

Yashiro couldn't help but laugh at Ren; he found it really refreshing at times like these when Ren allowed his true, comical side to shine through instead of that professional façade that he had to uphold all the time. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, Ren always acted like himself around Kyoko.

"So a commercial, huh?" Ren asked. "Are you going to do it?"

Kyoko furrowed her eyebrows. "I want to…" she replied slowly. "But…"

"But…?" Ren repeated questioningly.

Kyoko looked up at Ren and frowned. "I have a problem with it."

"What's the problem?"

She looked down at her feet and started to squirm. "I don't know how to say it…"

Ren smiled reassuringly. "Then just say it."

Kyoko shook her head.

"Have you always been this stubborn?" Ren asked with a chuckle as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I can always find out for myself, you know…" he threatened as he slowly reached for the script again.

Kyoko quickly took a step back and glared. "Don't you dare," she communicated with her eyes.

"Then tell me," Ren replied.

And during this entire conversation, Yashiro, who hadn't said a word, kind of felt like he was a third wheel. It seemed like they didn't even realize he was still there. But he was used to this feeling and it didn't really bother him. He was too focused on getting these two together that he didn't have any time left to feel the least bit offended.

Then with a frown, Kyoko looked behind Ren and Yashiro, her eyes scanning side to side, up and down. She then turned around and twisted her head.

"The coast is clear," Ren said, smiling.

Sure that there was no on around, she let out a long breath and whispered softly, "Well, the one problem I have with it…is at the end. The director wants me to do something that I'm not exactly…comfortable with."

Ren couldn't help but lean in to Kyoko when he asked, "And what is he making you do?" Surprisingly, Ren could already feel the irritation starting to bubble inside of him. It sounded bad from the way Kyoko was saying it. And there was no way in hell was he going to let any person, let alone a MAN, hurt or cause her any trouble. Not his Kyoko.

She looked up at Ren from underneath her lashes and mumbled something incoherent.

"I'm sorry, Mogami-san. I didn't catch that."

Kyoko closed her eyes and sucked in a breath. "He—"

"Yes?"

"He wants me to—"

"YES?"

"—kiss someone."

Ren's heart shattered.


	2. Chapter 2: I'm sorry, Kyoko

Okay, here's part 2! I had fun writing this one...hehe, hope you have fun reading it! PLEASE REVIEW!

And I'll try to update soon with more Kyoko x Ren goodness! :D

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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"Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko asked tentatively. "Are you okay?"

"Ren?" Yashiro inquired. "You there?"

Ren could hear them, but his lips refused to move. He was just staring at Kyoko in utter disbelief. He desperately tried to find his voice, but there was nothing to find. Ren didn't have any idea of what to do. How was he supposed to respond?

Should he say what he really wanted to say? Or say what he should say as her mentor? Torn in two, Ren knew that if he waited any longer, the situation will only get worse. He had to come up with a choice…even if it killed him.

Straightening up slightly, he turned away from Kyoko, hiding his face so that she couldn't see the distress he would feel for what he was going to say next. "I must say I expected more from you, Mogami-san."

With wide eyes, Kyoko replied in a small voice, "What do you mean?"

Ren shook his head and asked, "You want to be a revered actress, yes? Yet you let something so trivial get in the way of your career. That's not what a professional would do and I assumed that you out of all people would have understood that by now."

Yashiro's jaw dropped. "_ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" _he screamed in his head.

As if slapped in the face, Kyoko looked down at her feet. She felt extremely embarrassed. How many times has Tsuruga-san told her to act like a professional? How many times has he castigated her for the same mistake? _"Wow,"_ she thought. _"I'm such a failure. He won't even look at me because he's so disgusted."_

Not hearing anything from Kyoko was nearly ripping Ren apart, bit by bit. He wanted to teach her, not to make her feel inferior or, even worse, miserable. Forcing himself to stay composed even when the regret of hurting Kyoko was still painfully raw, Ren turned back towards her and called lightly, "Mogami-san."

Kyoko slowly looked up at him with disappointment clearly spelled out on her face.

"You have great potential as an actress. But there are times in this business where you will be forced in situations you don't want any part in. However, at moments like these, there is a fine line that separates the true professionals who want to make it in this business from the amateurs. Therefore I must ask, who are you?"

Kyoko didn't respond immediately and averted her eyes. She allowed her mentor's words to sink in. She knew that Tsuruga-san was right, that she was really making a big deal out of nothing. But this kiss…_it bothered her_.

"_**But being Mio bothered you,"**_ her subconscious retorted back. _**"And you still did that."**_

"_True, but the people I worked with helped me through it like…Tsuruga-san…"_

Saying his name compelled Kyoko to look at him again. _"But he's right,"_ Kyoko thought. _"I don't want to be just an actress. I want to be a TOP actress. And top actresses don't complain, especially about work."_

"_**That's the spirit, Kyoko!"**_

With her body brimming with new-found confidence and determination, Kyoko pulled her head up and replied, "I'm an actress."

Ren smiled at her change in tone and leaned down slightly when he asked, "And what are you going to do as an actress?"

Then without another word, she politely bowed to Ren and Yashiro, turned around on her heel, and marched down the hall with her head held high, leaving the two men behind.

Yashiro couldn't believe it. Kyoko left and here was Ren just standing there, leaning against the wall with his head drooping. Yashiro could feel the irritation building inside of him. But when he was just about to open his mouth and give Ren a piece of his mind, Ren looked up with a threatening glare.

Yashiro gulped. The atmosphere had changed drastically, from gloomy to downright sinister. He didn't dare to even utter a sound.

"Yashiro," Ren began with a quiet voice. "For the sake of my sanity, let's put a hold on this conversation for now." And with that, he walked in the same direction as Kyoko, leaving Yashiro immobilized and stunned by the malice in his tone.

Even though Yashiro had seen Ren's ominous personality before, it still scared him. But when thinking about why he was so angry, Yashiro felt sympathy for his friend. Ren was stuck in a rut that kept getting deeper and deeper everyday, no matter how hard he tried to dig himself out of it.

Catching up to Ren, Yashiro said jokingly, "I wasn't going to say anything negative."

Ren scoffed.

"Alright alright, you win. Not a single word."

They walked for what seemed to be a minute of silence before Yashiro asked, "Ren?"

"Yashiro…" Ren began menacingly.

"It's a simple question!" he said with his hands held up in surrender.

Ren sighed and asked softly, "Yes?"

"What you said back there…that was all a lie, wasn't it?"

Ren looked at his manager from the corner of his eye. Even though he was hurting, Ren couldn't help but smile a little bit when he asked, "You never miss anything, do you Yashiro?"


	3. Chapter 3: Suffering

HEY EVERYONE! sorry for the really long wait, but I had a few things this week...still, thank you for waiting and the reviews! it really means a lot! your feedback was great! so here's the next part of the story and I hope you all like it as much as the others! R & R please!

Hopefully, I'll update again sometime this week...

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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Never in his life has Yashiro ever felt so helpless, as both a friend and a manager. He wanted to help, he truly did, but every time he tried, it seemed like nothing would work. It was hopeless.

But still, watching Ren was excruciatingly painful.

"_He's trying so hard, it hurts to even look,"_ Yashiro thought sadly as he walked away from the vending machine with a bottle of iced tea in his hand.

As of right now, Ren was still at the set, taking photos for a new modeling agency that hired him to be their number-one spokes model. He's been taking pictures for nearly three hours now and he continues to refuse to take any breaks whatsoever. He was working himself to death. But Yashiro understood why.

Ever since the talk with Kyoko in the morning, Ren spiraled into a black hole of despair as the day went by. And in a futile attempt to forget, Ren has been trying to keep his mind busy with work, work, and more work. But every so often, Yashiro would catch a glimpse of Ren's face and see the misery behind that fake mask he had on all morning. It obviously wasn't working, no matter how hard _he_ was.

But there was no doubt that Ren was suffering immensely. Caught between doing what he wanted and what he knew was right, Ren was forced to tell the love of his life to participate in a commercial that would put her in the arms of another man. And every now and then, he would glance at his watch and find himself wondering what Kyoko was doing, if she was having fun…if she was kissing someone else. Or even sometimes, if she was enjoying it.

If Yashiro had the choice, he would have taken Ren aside so that he could talk to him, but even then, he wouldn't have any idea of what to say. There was nothing that he could do except wait for Ren's pain to subside.

"_Well, if I can't help him mentally, I might as well make certain that he's physically okay,"_ Yashiro thought as he gripped the bottle tighter. It was Ren's preferred beverage and Yashiro prayed with all his might that this will SOMEHOW alleviate his anguish, but the chances looked extremely grim.

While walking down the hall and trying to come up with a plan to lift the spirits of his friend, Yashiro suddenly heard a soft sniffle from around the corner. It sounded like a female crying. Curious about whom it was, he walked towards the sound and took a quick peek. To his surprise, it was—!

"Kyoko-san?"

Kyoko, who was in a white, sleeve-less, knee-length dress, was curled in a tight ball on the floor, sniffling quietly to herself. When she heard her name, she slowly looked up with a tear-stricken face and stared with wide eyes.

"Ya—shi—ro—san?" she mumbled slowly, enunciating every syllable.

She seemed confused at first, with her eyebrows furrowed, but once realization hit her, she nearly screamed in surprise, stood up, and bowed fervently. "I'm so sorry, Yashiro-san! Please don't think badly of me! I'm so s—!"

Yashiro quickly put up his hands and replied in earnest, "Kyoko-san! Kyoko-san! It's alright! It's alright. Don't apologize. It's just me. It's okay."

Kyoko, who was in obvious distress, took a deep shaky breath and smiled in apology. When she was able to calm down slightly, she leaned against the wall and sighed in relief.

Yashiro quietly walked over to her and leaned against the wall beside her, staring down at her drooping head. _"I guess Ren is not the only one who's troubled,"_ he said silently to himself.

After a minute of silence, Kyoko looked up and scanned the hall. She finally looked at Yashiro and asked, "Is Tsuruga-san not with you?"

He shook his head. "He's still at the photo shoot. I just came here to get him something," Yashiro said, holding the up the bottle of tea.

When she laid her eyes upon the drink, Kyoko's facial expression suddenly changed. It transformed from one that was gloomy and depressed to one of compassion and warmth. Then, in a soft and gentle tone, she replied, "That's his favorite. I remember seeing him buy one everyday when we were shooting Dark Moon together. He said that it kept him focused and awake." Kyoko laughed. "Like he ever needs to focus…"

Then in a heartbeat, as if the words were never meant for human ears, she looked down at her feet and blushed scarlet, refusing to meet Yashiro's astonished gaze. He couldn't believe the tone of Kyoko's voice when she said all that. It was so _loving_, almost as if she was reminiscing.

Even though these kinds of things usually make Yashiro ecstatic, it would have been a lot better if Ren was here to witness this himself, so Yashiro decided to switch the subject, for both his and her sake. After clearing his throat, he asked, "So Kyoko-san, why aren't you shooting the commercial?"

Yashiro's face fell as soon as the words left his mouth.

As if right on cue, Kyoko's facial expression became practically hysterical. And when she looked up at him, it seemed like she was on the near verge of tears. In fact, he could even see the droplets of water in her eyes, just about to brim over. And before Yashiro could even take another breath, the dam of Kyoko's distress finally broke through.

"**I'm a failure, Yashiro-san! A BIG FAT FAILURE! No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't do it! I COULDN'T KISS HIM! And the director kept yelling 'cut!' over and over and over again! He told me that I had to try HARDER! But I tried everything! And even with Tsuruga-san's words chanting in my head, I still couldn't get myself to do it! I'M AN AMATEUR! I don't deserve to be called an actress! And because of me, the shoot is now put on hold! I'M GOING TO GET FIRED! I can't do—!" **

But with her lungs quickly running out of air, Kyoko finally gasped for oxygen and began to breathe heavily, bent over with both of her hands on her knees.

Stunned by her intense and quite LOUD re-telling of what happened earlier that day, it took Yashiro a few minutes to register everything she said. He never realized how fast she could talk! If she wasn't so uptight, he would have laughed.

But Kyoko was not in the mood for humor. So Yashiro just stood there, in a slightly awkward silence, and waited for her to catch her breath. When she was finally breathing normally, he asked gently, "How does it feel to let it all out?"

Kyoko straightened up with a small smile on her lips. "Good, like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

He chuckled. "A rant is always helpful."

"Thank you, Yashiro-san. For listening."

Yashiro waved her gratitude away with his hand and replied, "Listening is the easy part. It's having the courage to say all of that that makes it difficult."

Kyoko didn't say anything. She just stared at her feet and looked like she was deep in thought. He was going to ask if everything was okay, but he would rather not open up another can of worms. So Yashiro patiently stood there, hoping that she would say something soon.

Unfortunately for Yashiro, her next comment wasn't going to be any good either.

"Yashiro-san?"

"Yes, Kyoko-san?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

Yashiro smiled. "You already did, but you can ask another."

Kyoko blushed and nodded. "Well, have you ever…umm…_kissed_…anyone?"


	4. Chapter 4: You sure you want my advice?

HELLO! Part 4 is now uploaded and ready for your feedback! Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone! hehe

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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"_Who would have thought that out of all people for Kyoko to ask, it would be me?"_ Yashiro thought darkly as he tried to maintain his composure. He was having a hard time wrapping his mind around her question. Not only was it random, but how she asked him so bluntly nearly knocked him off his feet! Yashiro was the LAST person Kyoko should be going to for kissing advice. But seeing her curious and slightly eager expression, Yashiro couldn't help but try his best to answer her.

Biting on his lower lip he replied, "Not recently, Kyoko-san…"

Not the best answer he could give, but it was better than nothing.

Seeing Yashiro's discomfort, Kyoko immediately realized that she was imposing, so she quickly shook her head in apology and exclaimed, "I'm really sorry, Yashiro-san! That was a really personal question and I shouldn't have asked. Please don't feel compelled to answer!"

Yashiro smiled. "_This girl always knows just the right thing to say. How can I possibly deny her? No wonder Ren has a hard time saying no."_

With a chuckle, Yashiro ran a shaky hand through his hair and replied in a strained voice, "Well, the only kiss I ever shared with someone was when I was a teenager. Her name was Misa and she was my first girlfriend, if you want to call her that."

"Misa?" Kyoko asked, happy that Yashiro was answering her question. "She sounds very…sweet."

Yashiro smiled at her reluctance. "Yes, she was. If I remember correctly, it was after school, right after the high school exit exam results were posted. She was crying because she didn't do as well as she hoped. I found her sitting on the lunch tables out front, sobbing with her head in her hands. Of course, I acted as awkward as ever."

He then took off his glasses and wiped them on the front of his shirt. Kyoko smiled at his gesture. At that moment, Kyoko felt like she was finally getting to know the _real _Yashiro-san.

After placing them back on his nose, he continued. "I really had no idea what to say, so I did the best thing I could. I just sat next to her." Yashiro laughed. "If you could imagine the surprise on her face when she saw this gangly person who she barely knew approach her as if he's known her since they were kids. But I could tell she needed someone to talk to, so I decided to take up the role."

"You weren't nervous?"

"Are you kidding? I was shaking from head to toe! But the smile she gave me at my simple act of sitting down told me I had done the right thing."

Kyoko nodded in agreement and replied, "You were really brave."

He blushed lightly and smiled. "When she told me what was troubling her, I didn't want to give her the typical response that everyone else would say. Misa was someone I admired for a long time, so I wanted to be…special to her…somehow. I wanted her to remember me."

Yashiro stopped as he thought back to that exact day, the small smile upon her lips, the breeze blowing in her soft hair…

"_I wonder what she's up to now_," Yashiro thought tenderly.

"So…what happened next?" Kyoko asked with a cocked eyebrow, breaking Yashiro's reverie.

"Well, instead of telling her I thought she was one of the smartest people I've known, I told her the most random thing I could think of."

Yashiro chuckled to himself and closed his eyes for a brief moment. "Would you like to know my exact words?"

Kyoko nodded vigorously, with her eyes shining in anticipation.

"I said, 'Your shoe is untied.'"

Staring in disbelief, Kyoko couldn't believe her ears. "_He can't be serious_," she thought. Without really thinking, she blurted out, "Well, that's useless." Kyoko immediately covered her mouth in horror.

Yashiro shook his head and laughed. "No need to apologize. In fact, that's exactly what I wanted her to think and I'm sure she would have said the same thing if she wasn't so surprised by my response. But you know, even though I didn't say anything the least bit helpful, she did the one thing I wanted her to do all along. She laughed."

Kyoko giggled. "Who wouldn't?"

"I guess you're right," Yashiro replied with a smile. "So in the end, she completely forgot about the exam and sat there, laughing at this socially awkward boy who she never noticed before. It was perfect."

"Is that when she kissed you?"

Yashiro looked down at his feet and whispered, "Yes."

"Did you…like it?"

Blushing more than ever, Yashiro replied, "I'll never forget it."

Kyoko sighed. "That's the kind of kiss I want. The one that makes you smile whenever you think about it, not cringe in embarrassment."

Yashiro pondered for a minute about Kyoko's statement and asked, "Do you not like your co-star?"

"No, he's fine. It's just…a kiss should be a sign of love right? Or at least adoration? I don't feel anything like that for him."

He shook his head. "I don't think Misa had any feelings of adoration for me, let alone love."

"But even then a kiss is supposed to be meaningful. It should convey some special feeling, shouldn't it?"

"Well—yes, but—maybe a kiss—I think—, "Yashiro stuttered.

He sighed heavily. "I guess I'm not the best person to talk to this about."

Horrified at Yashiro's change in tone, Kyoko replied in earnest, "I'm sorry, Yashiro-san! I didn't mean to argue with you. It's just—!"

Yashiro cut her off with a raise of his hand and said, "No, it's fine Kyoko-san. As you can see, I'm not very good at these topics and I suppose that—"

He stopped abruptly. With an idea already formulating in his mind, Yashiro was on the verge of absolute brilliancy as a beaming grin slowly spread across his face. He had a diabolical plan up his sleeve and he was more than determined to see it through—no matter how many obstacles might get in the way. "_This is too perfect,"_ he thought gleefully.

Surprised at his unexpected pause, Kyoko tilted her head to the side and asked, "Yashiro-san?"

Yashiro shook his head clear and replied, "I know the perfect person you should go to for advice, Kyoko-san."

With her spirits lifted, Kyoko exclaimed, "Really!? Who!?"

"Well, this particular person doesn't give advice to just anyone. In fact, he's pretty exclusive. But just recently, he had a few issues about portraying love himself, so he will know exactly how to help you."

Kyoko nearly spun around with joy. "That's great! Where can I meet him?"

Yashiro smiled at her enthusiasm. "There is _one_ catch though," he added slyly, avoiding her question.

"A catch? Like what?"

"You're going to need to bring something in return."

Kyoko frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

"You should bring food, Kyoko-san."

"Food?"

Yashiro grinned widely. "Yes, food…and lot's of it."

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"I am never doing that again," Ren huffed as he gingerly sat himself down on his black couch in his condo. He was sore all over, aching from the constant moving he forced his body to perform when it clearly needed a break. Working for nearly nine straight hours from taking pictures and then immediately to interviews to autograph signings and finally to rehearsals have all caused major damage to his health and Ren was paying the price.

Groaning, he leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. Letting his mind wander, Ren thought of the one person he's been trying to push out of his mind since the morning, her sweet face hovering above his eyes. Clenching his fists, Ren sat up again with his head in his hands.

"You're pathetic," he grumbled. "Get a damn grip."

But he couldn't. Ren was drowning in a relentless anguish and it seemed that nobody could save him from this oblivion but her.

Ren had no idea how long he sat there in the dimly lit room, but his stomach was growling like some ferocious beast. He hadn't eaten anything since breakfast.

"_She would be so disappointed with me_," Ren thought with an involuntary smile. He immediately shook his head and scowled. Not thinking about her was getting harder and harder with each passing minute.

Sighing, he decided to go into the kitchen to make a quick bowl of cereal (not exactly food, but it was better than nothing) until he heard a soft ring of the doorbell. He looked at the door with a puzzled expression, thinking that he must be hearing things. It was nearly nine o'clock. Who would come see him at this hour?

Scratching his head, Ren walked over to the door and looked through the peep-hole. To his surprise, his vision was obscured by what looked like large, brown paper bags filled with items. It was slightly shaking and it took Ren awhile to notice that someone was straining to hold them all.

Gasping, he quickly unlatched the lock and sprang the door open. "I'm terribly sorry! Let me help—!"

Ren froze.

Peeking around a mountain of groceries was the blushing face of his beloved savior.

"Hello, Tsuruga-san…"


	5. Chapter 5: Why do you torture me?

This has to be one of my most favorite chapters. I really wanted to set up the story so that I will have an easier time writing...well...the climax of the story. So here is part 5 and most likely I will update the next chapter in a few days. Please read and review! And thanks!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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"_This is too much of a coincidence," _Ren thought with his heart pounding in his chest. "_I must have fallen asleep because there is no possible way she's here. It just can't be…" _

Ren was never a believer in miracles; in fact, he didn't believe in anything that had to do with the supernatural, but as of right now, he was seriously reconsidering his beliefs because there must be SOMEONE GREAT who could bring him his Kyoko right to his doorstep at this hour. This was just too good to be true. _"Well whoever it was, thanks."_ Ren thought appreciatively as he stared at his angel.

"Um, I know it's late, but…well, I was hoping if I could make you dinner…I'm really sorry for not telling you beforehand…but I…uh…" Kyoko didn't know what else to say. She was so nervous that her arms were shaking uncontrollably. She's been to Tsuruga-san's place before, but somehow this moment was different. It was almost as if she hasn't seen him for a long time and she sort of…_missed_ him.

"_RIDUCULOUS!"_ she chided herself. _"Absolutely ridiculous…"_

Ren's face was still frozen into place. He hadn't moved at all. Although he was glowing with happiness internally, his expression didn't show it. Ren was struck dumbfounded, but his mind was working furiously. Ren knew he had to say something or she was going to leave and that will probably tear him apart more than he was earlier.

Shaking his head slightly, Ren smiled tenderly and reached for the grocery bags. Effortlessly, he had them in one arm and held the door open with the other. "You are always welcome here, Mogami-san. And besides, dinner sounds great."

Blushing scarlet, Kyoko nodded and bowed before she stepped inside. After Ren softly closed the door behind her, she turned around and reached for the groceries. "I can take that, Tsuruga-san."

He chuckled and walked towards the kitchen. "You came all the way up here to make me dinner. The least I can do is to help you carry the items."

She thanked him and followed his lead. When they reached the kitchen, Ren placed the bags onto the marble counter and started to take some of the groceries out. It was like a never-ending sack of food. _"Will I ever reach the bottom?" _Ren thought in surprise as he continued to remove each item one by one. This could literally feed tens of people, let alone two.

"Wow Mogami-san, you sure…brought a lot."

Kyoko smiled widely and replied, "You never eat a decent meal so I thought spoiling you every once in a while wouldn't be too bad. Besides, it's not that much. I'm just going to make some chicken curry, miso-flavored eggplant stir-fry, cucumber rolls, hamburger-steak with eggs, fried rice, potato salad, and fried shrimp."

Ren's mouth dropped. "That's it?" He laughed and held his stomach. "Are you sure I have a big enough appetite to eat all of that?"

And right on cue, his stomach growled so insanely loud that the noise literally reverberated off the walls.

Kyoko glared at her blushing and very embarrassed mentor. "Yes," she began menacingly, shaking her head at his inability to take care of himself. "I _really_ think you do."

Without another word, she rolled up her sleeves, walked over to the sink, and began to wash her hands. Turning around, she smiled and said, "I can take it from here, Tsuruga-san. There's no need for you to help any more than you already did."

He was going to say that he would rather watch her work her way around the kitchen since he hasn't seen her all day, but Ren thought that that would probably ruin the calm atmosphere right now so he just leaned on the counter and replied, "If you are going to make all of those dishes, I assume that four hands are better than two."

Kyoko shook her head and walked over to his side, ushering him outside of the kitchen. "You are just going to watch T.V while I prepare dinner. It'll be fine. Please Tsuruga-san?"

Staring into her pleading face, Ren had such a powerful urge to caress her cheek and, to make matters even worse he was in the perfect position to do so. She was leaning towards him, with her face within his reach, but Ren carefully stepped away and began to walk towards the living room. He nodded with a smile and said, "Very well, Mogami-san. Feel free to use whatever you like."

Ren turned on the television and started flipping through the channels, not really seeing anything except imagining Kyoko in the kitchen, opening the plastic bags of vegetables, grabbing the pan from the bottom cupboard, removing the knives from the block, and turning the oven on to a low heat. He could even hear the simmer of the oil as she placed something into the pan. He sighed. How Ren wished he could watch her.

Exasperated, Ren decided to watch an infomercial and coincidentally enough, it was about a new kitchen appliance. He grimaced. _"Are you taunting me?"_ Ren asked with his eyes looking upward.

After a few minutes of working, Kyoko finally joined Ren in the living room. "What are you watching," she asked, wiping her hands on a paper towel.

Ren twisted his head around and replied, "Nothing really, just a commercial."

Kyoko walked around to the couch and sat at the end, sitting far enough for Ren to be slightly disappointed yet close enough for him to feel happy that she was with him.

"Hmm," she murmured, with her hands folded in her lap.

They sat there, watching the television, waiting for the other one to say something. The silence seemed to be everlasting and Ren was starting to get nervous. He looked out of the corner of his eye and realized that she was biting on her bottom lip and squirming. Puzzled, Ren opened his mouth to say something.

"So what are you—?"

"Tsuruga-san, I—"

Ren and Kyoko laughed.

"Go ahead," they both replied at the same time.

He chuckled as Kyoko blushed. "Please go first, Tsuruga-san."

Ren shook his head and motioned to her. "I would rather hear what you were going to say."

Kyoko smiled, and then looked down at her feet. "Well, I—um…you see, I wanted—Tsuruga-san, you—" She sighed heavily in defeat.

Surprised by her actions, Ren slightly leaned towards her and inquired slowly, "Mogami-san, is something wrong? You seem…flustered."

She glared at the floor. "This is harder than I thought," she mumbled.

Confused as ever, Ren waited for her to continue, but instead she refused to meet his gaze. Ren turned his attention back to the screen, wondering what was bothering her. Suddenly, a huge pang of frustration struck him like a collision. _"She probably wants to tell me about how well the commercial went."_

Reflexively, Ren clenched his fists. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't need to hear how wonderful her co-star was or how she liked doing the scenes with him. Ren would rather suffer a thousand deaths then hear about how it went because if he knew, the news might just destroy him for good.

But as her mentor, Ren should ask her. After all, he's the one who basically pushed her to go through with it. This was his fault. But he couldn't bear to ask her flat out. He would probably lose it. So trying to keep the anger out of his voice, Ren quietly asked, "Mogami-san, is there a specific reason why you are here?"

He didn't dare to look at her. Ren knew he would scare her if he did because he could already feel his eyes hardening and his mouth starting to scowl.

"Well, yes…" she replied nervously, sensing Tsuruga-san's anger.

Unbeknownst to Ren, Kyoko was feeling immensely guilty. She broke her promise to Yashiro-san. She wasn't supposed to reveal the true reason why she was here until _after_ they ate. That afternoon, after nearly 30 minutes of persuasion from Yashiro-san when he told her who he was talking about, Kyoko finally agreed to see her mentor, but he clearly told her to not let Ren find out the true meaning behind her meeting him until much later. Because if Ren knew beforehand, it would ruin the relationship between the two. But the silence was just too awkward! And Kyoko wanted to say_ something...anything._

Still, she didn't really understand Yashiro-san's reasoning behind his advice seeing as she and Ren didn't have any relationship whatsoever, but nonetheless Kyoko agreed anyway and in the end, she let him down miserably. _"Sorry, Yashiro-san,"_ she murmured silently.

Ren closed his eyes in irritation when Kyoko didn't continue. "And what reason is that?"

After letting out a breath, Kyoko said shakily, "Tsuruga-san, I need your help."

His head sprang up. That wasn't the response he was expecting. "Help? In what?"

Kyoko finally looked at him and squeezed her hands together tighter in her lap. He could see how much she wanted to look away, to avert her gaze, but she forced herself to look at him directly. Ren was very confused now.

"Tsuruga-san, I wasn't able to go through with the last scene."

Ren couldn't believe it. She didn't kiss him. She was still his. If Ren didn't have so many years of experience of composing his emotions, he would have done something that would he would have regretted later, but he felt so _elated_. To know that Kyoko didn't kiss anyone else was slowly putting his heart back together again, piece by piece.

"Are you disappointed in me?" Kyoko asked sadly.

Ren gulped. _"Why does she always ask me the worst questions?" _Ren thought miserably. He was now compelled to, once again, play the role as mentor and advise her to do something that he would never want her to do with anyone else, but him. _"Life must really hate me…"_

He forced himself to frown slightly in dissatisfaction and replied, "It depends, what happened that you couldn't complete your task?"

She sighed. "I can't kiss someone I don't…feel anything for. I know that's pathetic, but…" Kyoko paused and closed her eyes for a moment. Then after a few seconds of silence, she looked up with clear determination and said, "That's why I came here. I need to know _how_ to kiss someone."

Ren couldn't breathe. It seemed as if he was being punished because all he could see was this beautiful girl, taunting him by looking at him so…_passionately_. Was she trying to kill him? He was already anticipating her words, those sinful words…he knew what was coming next and he knew that no matter how hard he tried to deny it, Ren desperately wanted to hear her say them, knowing that from here on after, the course of their relationship will change forever either for the better or worse.

Looking from under her lashes, Kyoko gently asked,

"Tsuruga-san…do you think you can help me?"

"_I'm going to Hell."_ Ren thought darkly as his heart burst in flames.


	6. Chapter 6: Lesson Learned

Okay, the next chapter is here! Thanks for sticking with the story for this long! It really means a lot! And this is DEFINITELY not the last chapter...there's a lot more to come! Please read and review! You guys are the best!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

Ren's fists were still clenched, but he was no where close to being angry. In fact, Kyoko was dangerously coaxing feelings out of him that no woman should do when she is alone in an apartment with a man, especially since it's Kyoko with someone who didn't have very much self control. She was trespassing on very risky grounds.

Ren was fighting extremely hard to just calmly sit where he was and respond to her; he didn't want to scare her by making a drastic move. _"I have to take this easy because Kyoko probably doesn't know the weight of her words…yet," _Ren thought_._

Clearing his throat slightly and allowing himself some time to breathe, he asked, "Mogami-san, I think I'm misunderstanding you. Are you inquiring me to teach you _how_ to kiss?"

She blushed and started to fidget. "Well, I mean…yes, that's exactly what I'm asking. I'm sure you've…_kissed_ someone before…right?"

Now it was Ren's turn to blush. He didn't reply, but Kyoko could already guess what his silence meant. Undoubtedly, he was quite experienced in this category. To her surprise, she was sort of…_upset_. Of course it was absurd for her to be so! But the annoyance that was clearly building up inside of her could not be masked. _"How many girls has he kissed,"_ Kyoko asked herself irritably. Although she had no intention of calling him so, the first word that popped into her mind was Casanova. She grimaced.

Looking at Kyoko's expression, Ren was absolutely confused. He didn't understand how her face suddenly changed from embarrassment to…frustration? But Ren didn't allow himself to linger on that thought. Kyoko was waiting for a response and he would rather not tell her how many times he has kissed someone, even though he barely remembered any of them. Still, telling her wouldn't help him at all in trying to win over her heart.

"Well, I have kissed someone before…But I can't say that I know everything there is to kissing."

"_Liar,"_ she accused silently, but Kyoko was not going to argue with her mentor about his past experiences. It wasn't in her place. "Does that mean you can give me some advice then? Can you tell me how?"

Ren stopped. Staring at Kyoko, realization finally hit him. _"This is what I get for jumping to conclusions,"_ he thought miserably. Because Kyoko wasn't asking him to teach her how to _physically_ kiss someone. She just wanted…verbal advice.

He sighed and slightly turned away from Kyoko, refusing to meet her gaze. "You want me to _tell_ you how to properly portray a kiss on screen?"

"Yes, because I acted so awkwardly around my co-star and the director says it's extremely obvious…on…camera," Kyoko replied slowly, tilting her head to the side. She was wondering why Tsuruga-san looked so disappointed. _"Was it something I said?"_

"I see," he murmured. Ren was feeling absolutely pathetic. He got his hopes up for nothing. And not only that, but he admitted to himself that his desires for Kyoko are more than just love, but…physical as well. _"That means Hell is still an option,"_ he reminded himself darkly. Nonetheless, she came here to ask for his advice and as her mentor, he should help her, even though he wanted to do so much more.

Pushing back his longing to actually_ teach_ her, Ren turned back and shifted his position with his arm draped over the couch so that he looked at Kyoko directly. She smiled in response, but he could see that she was nervous. Ren chuckled.

"Are you sure you want to talk to me about this?"

"Of course, Tsuruga-san!"

He smiled at her slightly defensive response and placed his other hand under his chin, deep in thought. He was wondering how he should proceed with this. Since Kyoko had no intention to _practice_, he would have to say this in a way that she would grasp the concept.

Then Ren had an idea.

"Mogami-san, what do you do when you get a new role?"

"Huh?"

Kyoko completely lost focus. As she was staring at his serious face, Kyoko was trying to guess how many times Tsuruga-san has actually kissed someone, and she had a good feeling that it was probably around 3,512 times. She grinded her teeth together in frustration when she thought about it, but forcing herself to reply to her mentor, Kyoko said,

"I'm sorry Tsuruga-san, I didn't catch that."

Ren looked at her sternly, disapproving of her short attention span. "I asked, what do you do when you get a new role?"

She smiled in apology and replied, "Well, I try to understand my character."

"And how exactly do you do that?"

"I read about her background, try to grasp her personality, consider the kind of environment she lives in, think about her past," Kyoko said thoughtfully, counting each of the steps on her fingers.

"And if you succeed in grasping the character, what happens?"

"I become the character."

Ren nodded and held up two fingers. "You see Mogami-san, in my experience there are two ways to act. The first is the one you just described where the actor actually loses himself within the role and frequently forgets who he truly is."

Simultaneously, they both thought back to the moment when Kyoko auditioned for Mio. Ren could easily remember the antagonism she acted towards him and the other actors, while Kyoko could only recall the wary look everyone gave her when she finally returned back to herself.

"Okay, and what's the second way?"

"I think you can guess that, Mogami-san. How else can you act?" Ren asked.

"Uh…" Kyoko was stumped. _"How else can you portray a role if you aren't one with the character?" _she thought curiously._  
_

"I'm not exactly sure…"

Ren smiled. "You're thinking too hard. What are you doing when you're acting?"

Kyoko pondered for a minute, then with a raised eyebrow she inquired, "You're…pretending?"

"Exactly. You're _pretending._"

Kyoko eyes suddenly brightened up. "Oh, I get it! I should _pretend_ that I love my co-star…right? But Tsuruga-san, isn't that cheating?"

Ren laughed. "Not in the least, Mogami-san. In fact, there are going to be times when you are just going to have to fake it. What I mean is that although the first method is preferred, since it conveys a much stronger emotion, pretending can get the job done as well. If you can't become the character, you can fool the audience into believing that you did. Now that I think about it, pretending may require more skill."

"So I think what you are saying is that I don't have to _become_ a girl who is in love, I just need to act like her."

Ren nodded.

"That makes so much…sense," Kyoko said simply. "I can't believe I didn't see that before."

"Great, then I think that now you can—" Ren suddenly faltered. In a blink of an eye, Kyoko's face became troubled once again, as if a new problem had arisen. "Is there something else, Mogami-san?"

She bit on her bottom lip and replied, "It's just well…I don't know how to pretend. I usually immerse myself into a role to the point where I let the character take over my mind, but this…this is new to me."

Kyoko frowned. "I don't know how to fake a kiss."

Ren contemplated for a minute, trying to come up with a simple solution. He obviously wasn't going to go through the physical steps of a kiss…but how was he going to help her? Suddenly, he came up with a response—a very risky response nonetheless—that he hoped would not lead her into the wrong conclusion. This could go either way and he prayed that this wouldn't end badly.

Allowing himself some time to compose his voice since he knew that his next statement was extremely precarious, Ren replied, "You could always imagine that you're kissing someone…else."

Kyoko froze. Why did she immediately think of Tsuruga-san as soon as those words left his mouth? Shaking her head and thinking that she must have misheard him, Kyoko asked nervously, "I'm sorry Tsuruga-san, but can you say that again?"

Ren, who was already nervous beyond comprehension, repeated in what he hoped was a steady voice, "You could pretend that you're kissing someone else."

When Kyoko continued to stare at him with wide eyes, Ren continued softly, "Someone you care about...some who's important to you…someone you want to…share a kiss with."

Kyoko was on the verge of having a heart-attack. She couldn't control the pounding of her heart. It was beating so wildly that it hurt, but Kyoko couldn't calm herself down. Looking at Tsuruga-san's gentle face, she felt so trapped by his gaze. She wanted to turn away, to get some air, but Kyoko helplessly stared at him, silently begging him to release her.

Ren realized that the atmosphere had changed drastically. He could sense the electricity that was emanating between them, a spark that continued to crackle as they stared at each other. Ren didn't know what his face looked like, but judging from the looks of Kyoko's expression, he must have lost the professional façade he was upholding earlier.

Ren knew he should look away, but it was useless. He could never tear himself away from her. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, Ren's feelings for Kyoko have gotten stronger than ever. He didn't only want her, but he _needed_ her. Ren loved her more than any man could, and it nearly killed him to think that she may never be his.

Slowly with an aching heart, Ren moved the arm that he had draped over the back of the couch and gently brought it to her face. He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, gauging her reaction, holding back the desire that was burning within him.

Kyoko was so shocked by his action that she didn't move. His hand barely touched her skin, almost like a soft, warm breeze that grazed against her cheek. His gentle caress was so soothing and caring. Even though her rational side told her to move her face away, another side of her, a side Kyoko had no idea existed, wanted to stay—wanted him to continue.

Just when she was about to open her mouth to say something, Tsuruga-san gently placed his palm against her face, cupping it with his hand. Kyoko let out a soft gasp, her eyes widening in surprise.

Ren froze when he heard the sound, hoping that he didn't cross the line. To his relief, she didn't push his hand away nor did she turn her face. Kyoko remained where she was, allowing him to feel her soft skin, the blush on her cheeks, the warmth radiating from her body.

"_This is nice,"_ they both thought tenderly as the intensity between them began to fade into a comfortable feeling of contentment.

Then, as if the Gods vehemently opposed their forbidden contact, a loud noise reverberated in the kitchen. Kyoko jumped so quickly that she tore her face from Ren's hand and ran away as fast as her feet could carry her.

Ren was completely stunned. It took him a few moments to realize that Kyoko wasn't sitting across from him anymore. He could even hear her jerky movements in the kitchen, pots and silverware banging against each other. He sighed heavily, dropping his face into his hands and feeling as if someone ripped his heart out into shreds. _"Why are you so against me,"_ Ren asked sadly to a nonexistent being. _"Is this punishment for wanting to show her how much I care? How much more do I have to suffer before you will finally give me peace?"_

No response…

Ren chuckled darkly. "You're merciless," he whispered as he heard a pan being placed on the oven with simmering oil.

Then in a deafening noise that made his blood turn cold, Ren heard a sound he would never want to hear in his life ever again: Kyoko yelling out in pain.


	7. Chapter 7: Just as I imagined it to be

hello again! next chapter is ready for you to read (and hopefully review!). this one is the longest by far...I just couldn't stop! hehe, as for the next chapter, I might be lagging on it...exams are coming up, so plz be patient with me! thanks!

you guys are the best! hopefully you'll like this chapter too... :D

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

Running to into the kitchen with fear coursing through his veins, Ren cried out, "Mogami-san! Are you alright?"

When he finally saw her, Ren froze.

Kyoko was facing away from him, with her hand covering the right side of her face. She was standing over the oven, next to a pan that had hot oil bubbling inside of it.

Ren, who was already shaking with worry, crossed the kitchen, quickly turned off the stove, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

She didn't jump in response, but Kyoko turned away, as if she wanted him to leave.

"Mogami-san, let me see."

She shook her head.

Clenching his other fist, Ren tried to keep his voice under control. "Mogami-san, turn around."

Kyoko replied in a shaky tone, "It's okay. I'm fine. It doesn't even hurt…" She laughed feebly.

Ren couldn't take it anymore. She was scaring him. And when he looked at her other hand, he realized that her nails were digging into her palm, almost drawing blood.

Gently, he turned her around so that he could look at her. Kyoko willingly allowed him to do so, but she refused to look up at his face. She didn't want to see his anger.

Ren was surprised to see that her face was completely dry, no tears whatsoever. He couldn't help, but gently smile at her ability to control herself. She really was a trooper. When he looked at the right side of her face, he sucked in a breath. Ren could slightly see the oil splattered on her cheek.

"I need to take a look, Mogami-san."

"It's fine. I'm sure its—" But when Kyoko tried to walk away, Ren wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her body to his. Her head snapped up in surprise at their close contact, with one hand spread out over his chest.

In what he hoped was a gentle action, Ren moved the hand she still had on her face. When he saw the burn, he realized immediately that there would be scarring. Her cheek was flaming red and the burn looked excruciatingly painful, but it didn't look too severe. He placed a hand on her cheek, just as he did when they were in the living room and placed his thumb over her injury, trying to cease her trembling.

Kyoko, during this whole time, completely forgot about the burn, but found herself pressed against Tsuruga-san's body…and slightly comforted by it. She knew he was tall, but she never realized just _how_ tall he really was. Her head barely met his shoulder! Looking at his stressed face, Kyoko couldn't help but feel guilty for making him worry so much about her. Even when he was caressing her cheek, lightly touching the blister, Kyoko didn't feel the least amount of pain. In fact, she could even feel it subside into a dull ache.

"Does this bother you," he asked softly, staring into her wide eyes.

Kyoko, who was at a loss for words, simply shook her head.

Ren laughed gently and whispered, "You don't have to act strong around me."

And just as he expected, the corner of her lips curved upward and she shook her head in defiance once again.

Happy that she wasn't hurting anymore, Ren finally took notice of the position he was in. He could never count the number of times he has dreamt of holding her so closely. And here he was, hugging her to his body and she wasn't scared. Ren slowly removed the hand he had on her face and wrapped it around her waist. He pulled her just a bit closer, placing his cheek on top of her head.

Ren could feel Kyoko freeze up, tense and nervous at what he just did. He knew that he was crossing the line now, that he might have destroyed the thin connection that they had together, but Ren couldn't find the strength or the will to let her go.

"Tsuruga-san?" she mumbled anxiously against his chest. "Is everything…okay?"

Ren smiled. She was the one who had burning oil on her face and she's asking _him_ if everything was okay? Removing his face from the top of her soft, silky hair, he looked down at her, seeing the confusion clearly spelled out in her eyes.

Kyoko was knocked breathless when she saw his face with the genuine smile that she's seen quite often before, but could never get used to. At moments like these, Kyoko seemed to forget that Tsuruga-san was not only her mentor, but also just someone who was…important to her. Besides the fact that he's always helped her, Tsuruga-san has also made her feel safe…secure…as if everything was going to be fine as long as he was around.

Ren didn't say a single word. He just held her in his arms, looking at her angelic face. Even though Kyoko might have been oblivious to it, Ren knew what was coming next. He had already gotten this far and he'd be damned if he allowed this moment to pass him by. _"I don't care if this is wrong, if it's forbidden, even if the Gods oppose it. All I care about is her…"_ he thought tenderly.

Then very gently, he leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers, never breaking eye-contact. Kyoko's eyes widened, but she remained still, staring at him like a deer caught in headlights. Ren laughed breathlessly at her expression and replied, "How could anything be wrong when you're here?"

"Tsuruga-san…" she whispered in surprise. "You don't have to say that—"

He shook his head and removed one of his hands he had on her waist, placing it under her chin. Ren could feel his heart pounding wildly against his chest as he tilted her face upwards, pleading for him to go on with it. And agonizingly slow, he began to lower his head…

Kyoko was completely locked into his gaze. She never realized how weak she was when it came to Tsuruga-san and when he began to get closer and closer to her, Kyoko found herself anticipating it. Even though she had no idea what "it" was, she didn't want him to pause. Kyoko slowly closed her eyes as she heard him whisper huskily, "Forgive me…"

And the last thing she remembered was the softness of his lips pressed gently against hers...

* * *

"KYOKO-CHAN! What happened to your face!?" the make-up artist, named Kiki, cried in horror as she ran up to the young girl who just entered the trailer, staring at her injured cheek.

Kyoko smiled sheepishly and bowed with both of her hands clasped together in front of her, "I'm sorry, I just had a small accident last night. It's not that bad though, is it?"

Then she brought her hand to the blister, touching it tentatively. It wasn't as red as it was yesterday and in fact, the burn didn't bother her anymore. "See? It doesn't even hurt."

The make-up artist shook her head and glared. "You are an actress, Kyoko-chan. One of the most important aspects of your career is your body. Please take better care of it!"

Kyoko nodded and hung her head, ridden with guilt.

Kiki sighed and tilted Kyoko's face upward. "Well, you're lucky you have such an amazing make-up artist who can take care of that in a jiffy. Now come on, we have to get you ready."

Dragging her into the chair, Kiki immediately placed foundation onto the blister and just as she expected, the blister was barely noticeable. Kiki couldn't help but smile at her work. When she moved away from the mirror so that Kyoko could see, she was pleased with Kyoko's shock of how well it was covered up.

"Wow! It's like its not even there!" Kyoko exclaimed.

Kiki huffed and replied, "Well what do you expect? I _am_ a professional."

She smiled warmly as Kyoko giggled at her comment.

"_This girl is an awfully good mood today, compared to yesterday morning,"_ Kiki thought silently. _"Did something happen last night?"_

But instead of asking Kyoko, Kiki nearly screamed in surprise when she saw how late it was. She needed to get Kyoko-can ready! Spinning the chair around abruptly and scaring a surprised Kyoko, Kiki said, "Alright Kyoko-chan, time to primp you up!"

Kyoko smiled widely and exclaimed, "Please do your best!"

After nearly an hour of blush, lip gloss, and eye shadow, Kyoko was ready to wear the sleeve-less, knee-length, white dress once more. Although she knew she should be nervous, Kyoko felt strangely at ease. She was confident that she can do this now. _"I can complete this scene."_

Staring at herself in the mirror, Kyoko smiled at her new-found elegance, all thanks to Kiki of course. She looked like a daughter of a royal family and she even felt like it. After spinning around a few times and squealing like a little kid, she heard a soft knock on the trailer door.

"Now who could that be," Kiki asked breathlessly. She was still shaking with laughter at Kyoko's little dance.

When Kiki opened the door, to both of their surprises, it was Kyoko's co-star, Daisuke in an old Victorian tuxedo who smiled warmly and greeted them. "How are you today?"

After replying that they were fine, Kyoko walked over to her co-star and asked, "Am I late?"

He shook his head and chuckled. "No, I just thought that maybe I should walk you over to the set."

Kyoko smiled. "Thank you, Daisuke-san." When he offered her his arm, Kyoko gently took it and allowed him to lead her to the shoot, after thanking Kiki and leaving the trailer. Looking up at Daisuke's face, she suddenly wondered if he has ever kissed anyone before or if he was just as inexperienced as she was. At the word kiss, Kyoko blushed scarlet and Daisuke, who must have felt the increase in temperature, looked down curiously. Kyoko just shook her head and averted her gaze.

Arriving on set, the director looked at the couple walking arm-in-arm and smiled in surprise. "Good morning, you two."

Kyoko and Daisuke replied, "Good morning, director. We are here to work."

Looking at Kyoko, the director realized that she was just brimming with confidence. _"I guess telling Daisuke to get her worked."_

"Well then, since you're both ready, let's get to it." After giving them the same directions as yesterday, Daisuke and Kyoko walked over to the overhang where the last scene will take place. Daisuke took his place at the right side of the set, standing next to a post with vines and flowers encircled around it, while Kyoko stood behind him at a far distance.

"Good," the director said loudly in the bullhorn. "Let's begin! In three! Two! One…and ACTION!"

The music in the background slowly began to build into a sweet melody that filled the entire building and right on cue, Daisuke placed one of his arms on the pole, looking beyond at what was supposed to be a green meadow. Kyoko slowly walked towards him and entwined her hand in his as she pressed against his body from behind.

He turned around and wrapped both of his arms around her waist, pulling her body gently against his chest. _"This seems so familiar,"_ Kyoko thought warmly. And when she looked up at Daisuke, she saw the same affectionate look he gave her yesterday morning, but the difference this time was that Kyoko wasn't surprised by it. She knew exactly what to do now.

And when he slowly leaned forward, Kyoko allowed her heart to take over as her mind went blank. Eventually, everything around her, the setting, the crew, and even the director, faded into nothing except for the person standing in front of her.

Suddenly, the words that were so tenderly spoken last night replayed in her mind, _"__You could pretend that you're kissing someone else__…__ Someone you care about…someone you want to…share a kiss with__."_

Allowing the words to overcome her senses, Kyoko looked up and found herself staring at her new-found prince, no longer her friendly co-star. She smiled and tenderly wrapped her arms around his neck. As he leaned down to kiss her on the lips, Kyoko closed her eyes and lovingly kissed him back, imagining the same gentle touch she felt the night before.

When the kiss ended, Kyoko opened her eyes and to her surprise, Daisuke still had not returned. She was still staring at the tall, handsome gentleman who smiled so warmly that her heart was practically torn in two. Then in a flash, Kyoko was taken out of her dream world as the director called, "AND CUT! That was perfect!"

Everything came rushing back and Kyoko found herself slightly confused. Looking around, she finally took notice that she was on set, performing a scene. And she was also still in the arms of Daisuke. Blushing furiously, Kyoko quickly untangled herself from him and took a few steps back.

Bowing politely, she murmured, "Thank you for your hard work," and walked off set, feeling extremely embarrassed, but very accomplished as well.

Daisuke, who was still rooted to the spot, was frozen with disbelief and wonder. _"That kiss…oh wow…"_

"Daisuke!"

He quickly turned at the sound of his name and realized the director was motioning for him to come. Willingly, he stumbled over to the director and asked, "Yes, sir?"

"I want you to take a look at this." He pointed to the camera as it played back the last scene.

Even though the director only told Daisuke to look, everyone around set swarmed around the camera, wanting to relive the tender moment all over again. Staring at Kyoko's beautiful face on the screen, it was hard for anyone to look away. Not only did she look incredible, but seeing how _lovingly_ she was staring at Daisuke practically made everyone swoon and sigh in satisfaction. They had no idea she could portray the feeling of love so…realistically!

After watching it over, Daisuke could hardly believe that it was the same girl. And when he saw the kiss replayed, he found himself longing to kiss her again…to make certain that she was the same angel he kissed so tenderly earlier.

"Amazing…" the director murmured. "Absolutely amazing. Can you believe that this was the same girl yesterday?"

Daisuke shook his head. He was at a complete loss for words.

The director sighed. "That kiss was probably one of the most genuine kisses I have ever shot in my life and I've been in this business for 15 years now." He laughed and clapped Daisuke on his shoulder. "Well whatever you said to her, you did a good job, Daisuke. Thanks for breaking her out of her shell."

Daisuke stuttered, "Sir, but—I didn't—she and I—"

But the director had already walked away, chuckling and mumbling, "Young love" quietly to himself.

Watching everyone leave for lunch, Daisuke couldn't help but replay and watch the clip again. He wanted to never forget this moment…to never forget that kiss…in fact, he would never want to forget her. _"Kyoko-chan…you really are a surprise…"_

_

* * *

  
_

After bidding Kiki good-bye and thanking her for everything, Kyoko walked out of the trailer and gently closed the door behind her. She was dressed in her normal clothes once again; the majesty of being a royal daughter was all washed away and was now being officially drained down the sink. What a waste…

Stretching, Kyoko brought her arms upward, yawned, and began to walk down to the garage of LME. Even though she was in an extremely good mood, Kyoko was in dire need of a rest. After such a restless sleep last night, she could barely walk on her own two feet.

Thinking back to dinner the previous night suddenly made her blush scarlet again. _"This is impossible,"_ she thought miserably, shaking her head. "_I'm never going to get used to this."_

Once she finally reached the back door and said bye to everyone she saw, Kyoko gladly welcomed the cool breeze, gently washing over her face as she pushed the back door open. It felt wonderful.

Suddenly, when Kyoko walked in a little farther, she froze.

Leaning against a silver sports car was none other than the tall silhouette of her prince charming, staring thoughtfully at the ground. Looking up at the sound of her footsteps, his eyes finally wandered to her surprised face and he smiled. Holding out a tender hand, he asked softly,

"Would you like to go out to dinner with me?"


	8. Chapter 8: A simple kiss and more

HI everyone! Well, I'm actually updating a lot sooner than I thought, so that makes me really happy. The sad part? Well, this is the very last chapter. I just really want to thank everyone for reviewing and reading my stories. You guys really pushed me to keep on going. However, this will not be my last fanfic! I have other ideas in mind and I will write them soon...after exams...haha, so anyway, thanks for everything!

I hope you enjoy the final chapter! :D

And keep a look out for my new stories! (based on Ren and Kyoko, of course) hehe

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

"Dinner?" Kyoko asked breathlessly as she hesitantly took another step forward. "You're not…busy?"

Even when she was staring straight at him, Kyoko couldn't believe her eyes. He was actually here. He was right in front of her, waiting all this time… as if he knew all along that she desperately wanted to see him.

He laughed gently and smiled. "I'm never too busy for you."

With her heart leaping out of her chest, Kyoko slowly walked towards Ren and tentatively placed her hand in his, feeling him squeeze a little tighter as their hands touched. She smiled shyly as she looked directly into his brown eyes that seemed to stare right into her very soul.

Straightening up slightly, Ren pulled Kyoko towards his body and held her in a warm embrace as he placed his chin upon her head. Never in his life has Ren ever felt so wonderful. There was nothing that could compare to this moment. Here he was, holding the love of his life, and she wasn't pushing him away. In fact, Ren could even feel Kyoko wrap her arms around his waist, returning his affection.

He smiled and looked down at her face that was staring upwards at him. Lightly stroking her cheek, Ren asked, "From the looks of your smile, I'm guessing that today was a good day?"

She nodded. "We finished filming the commercial."

"Then I think a celebratory dinner is in store, don't you think?"

Kyoko laughed and murmured, "As long as it's with you."

Feeling his breath catch, Ren leaned down and closed his eyes, placing his forehead against hers. It felt as if his heart was going to explode into a million pieces and Ren could have cared less. Kyoko made him feel like the happiest man alive. _"No,"_ Ren thought tenderly. _"I AM the happiest man alive."_

After another immeasurable moment of silently holding each other, Ren's curiosity about the commercial peaked and when he opened his eyes once more, he gently whispered, "How was the kiss?"

Kyoko didn't respond at first. She just stared at him with a thoughtful look, as if she was trying to choose her words carefully. Finally, with a response in mind, she smiled and replied, "It went well, thanks to your advice."

Not feeling the least amount of jealousy, Ren tenderly brushed a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "And did your co-star enjoy it?"

Kyoko shook her head.

Ren froze in surprise.

The corners of her lips curved upward at his response as she brought her hand to his face, causing Ren to smile at her soft touch. "It doesn't really matter what he thinks, does it?"

Ren shook his head in confusion. "Why's that?" he asked.

"Because I wasn't kissing him," Kyoko murmured as she suddenly stood on her tip-toes, wrapping both of her arms around his neck. "I was kissing you."

And before Ren could utter a single sound, Kyoko gently pressed her lips against his and sighed. Ren, who was nearly glowing with happiness, tenderly wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her like he has never done before. As the two lovers relished in each others presence, it seemed that Tsuruga Ren had finally received the gift he's always longed for: the very heart of Mogami Kyoko.

* * *

_Three weeks later…_

"I see…That sounds great, President. I gladly accept the offer…Of course, I'll tell her right now. Thank you…Yes, sir…I'll see you soon, then. Good-bye."

Ren gently placed the phone back onto the receiver with a small smile on the corner of his lips and excitement bubbling within him. He just spoke with President Lory of LME and received really great news. Wanting to share it with her, Ren quickly lifted himself off of the black couch in his condo and walked into the kitchen.

"Want to hear something interesting?" he inquired as he casually leaned against the wall, watching her place a baking pan into the oven.

Kyoko straightened up and turned around with a smile. "What?"

"That was the President. He says that your commercial will air today."

She froze.

Ren laughed and walked over to her side, cupping his hand under her chin. "Why are you so nervous? At the very least, you should be excited."

Kyoko rigorously shook her head feeling as if her throat had closed up.

Gently stroking up and down her arm and causing her to tremble involuntarily, Ren leaned in and whispered, "Well, I'm excited to see it."

Kyoko pouted. "That doesn't make me feel better. In fact, that makes me even more nervous!"

He chuckled. "This isn't your first commercial. You've done this before."

"Ren, you know this is different!" she wailed exasperatedly. Removing herself from his arms, Kyoko turned around, facing the other direction.

Ren, on the other hand, was feeling extremely elated. He could never get used to the sound of Kyoko's sweet voice when she says his name. Even though they have been together for nearly a month now, he was still shocked whenever she could pronounce it so easily.

Smiling, Ren stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, placing his chin on her shoulder. "Please come watch it with me. It's going to start in a few minutes and I don't want to miss it."

Nearly screeching, Kyoko turned around abruptly and cried, "IT'S GOING TO PLAY NOW!?"

Ren nodded, trying to hold in his laughter. _"She's really cute at times like these."_

Stepping around Ren, Kyoko was hoping she could make a run for it. But refusing to let her leave, he suddenly grasped her wrist and pulled her back into his arms. "Okay, how about we make a deal?"

Huffing, Kyoko looked up with a suspicious expression. "What kind of deal," she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The President had other good news for you as well and I'm sure you want to hear about it."

Beaming, Kyoko perked up. "Like what!?"

Ren shook his head. "Watch the commercial with me and I'll tell you."

She glared. Then Kyoko stubbornly crossed her arms and replied, "I can call him myself you know. I don't have to hear it from you."

Letting go of her, Ren began to walk back towards the living room and called over his shoulder, "Do as you wish, but I must warn you Kyoko, the President is a busy man and he might not pick up your phone call for _days_. Maybe even weeks…"

Grinning to himself, Ren left the kitchen and sat on the couch, patiently waiting for Kyoko to give in. She's too eager of a person to wait and Ren knew that he had this one in the bag. And just as he expected, she walked into the living room in a huff and dropped herself onto the couch. It was obvious that Kyoko was in a sour mood.

Gently, Ren scooted closer to her, picked up her legs, and laid them over his knees, having them dangle off the edge. "Thank you," he said with a smile as he kissed her on the cheek.

She didn't kiss him back, but she didn't push him away either. Kyoko just crossed her arms and laid her eyes on the television, avoiding his gaze.

Smiling, he picked up the remote and clicked to the proper channel. Just as a talk show ended, the commercial popped onto the screen at the exact time the President said it would. As soon as the music started, Ren could see Kyoko instinctively lean forward, her eyes glued onto the television set.

He chuckled, but she didn't seem to hear it. Her eyes were as wide as giant marbles as the different scenes were played. Ren would have been just as mesmerized as she was if it was the first time he's seen it, but luckily for him, Yashiro was able to sneak Ren into a quick preview of the commercial before it aired with the help of the President's connections. Therefore, Ren didn't pay any attention to the television set; he was too busy staring at Kyoko's alert expression, taking in every single second.

When the last scene arrived, he could hear Kyoko suck in a breath. Her hands were clenched into fists and she bit on her bottom lip as she watched her co-star pull her into an embrace on screen. Then, when the camera zoomed into the kiss, she gasped softly, letting her mouth drop in surprise.

And just as soon as it began, the words SWEET AFFECTION flashed across the screen as the bottle of the famous perfume appeared in the center. Finally, the commercial faded into black.

When the talk show returned, Kyoko eventually turned her head and realized that Ren was staring at her. Questioningly, she asked, "Is there anything wrong?"

Ren shook his head and smiled. "Nope. In fact, I was going to ask you the same thing. What did you think about the commercial?"

Kyoko looked down at her lap and clasped her hands together. Smiling, she looked up with twinkling eyes and replied, "I liked it."

Ren nodded. "I did too."

"You weren't even watching!" she accused in a teasing voice.

He laughed as he leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips. "I can never focus when you're in the room."

"So you admit that you weren't even paying attention!"

Chuckling, Ren kissed Kyoko even more deeply, stealing the breath right from out of her lungs. When they finally released each other, they were both breathing quite heavily, with a slight blush on their cheeks.

Giggling, Kyoko moved herself closer to Ren and placed her head on his shoulder.

"Fine, you're forgiven," she said simply.

He smiled and held her hand in his as he replied, "Thank you."

Then in a flash, Kyoko's head sprang up, her eyes glowing with anticipation. "Okay, I've held up my end of the bargain. Now it's your turn. What's the news!?"

Ren ran a hand through his silky hair. "I don't know if I should tell you. I think I can afford to milk this for a little bit longer," he said with a devilish smirk.

Kyoko glared menacingly. "Ren," she began in a threatening tone.

He held up one of his hands in surrender with a sheepish grin. "Alright! Alright! You win." Chuckling, he squeezed her hand in his lap a little bit tighter and said, "The President wanted me to tell you that you have another job offer."

"Really?! For what?"

"Well, it's another commercial. In fact, it's even with the same director. He was so pleased with your past work that he's practically begging for you to come back."

Kyoko smiled widely and was nearly bouncing off her seat. "This is great! What's the commercial about?"

Ren laughed. "It's for a new cosmetics line and once again, you'll be working with another partner. Male presumably."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Okay. Well, I hope my co-star and I will get along."

Ren shook his head and replied, "I don't think that will be a problem, Kyoko."

Tilting her head to the side, she asked, "What do you mean?"

Nuzzling his head into the base of her neck, Ren placed a soft kiss on her throat. He laughed as she twisted her head, trying to avoid his seductive teasing. "Ren!" she cried exasperatedly, blushing furiously.

He laughed and gently cradled her face in both of his hands. "Because," he began slowly with a smile on his face…

"You'll be starring with me."

Then in a blink of an eye, the only thing Ren could remember was Kyoko tackling him onto the couch, squealing in delight as she eagerly pressed her lips against his.

After that…well, let's just say it was nothing short of a happily ever after.


End file.
